Washing-machine agitator.



J. M. HOFFMAN.

WASHING MACHINE AGITATOR.

APPLICATION FILED mm. 1915.

Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

35 the following specification and clearly illus- I UN ED STATES PATENT oFF cE.

JEREMIAH M. HOFFMAN, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 HENRY HOWARD HOFFMAN, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

WASHING-MACHINE AGITATOR.

Application filed February 9, 1915. Serial N 6,985.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it knownthat I, JEREMIAH M. Horr- MAX, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vashing-Machine Agitators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in washing machine agitators and the object is to provide an agitator of comparatively simple construction which may be used with equal facility in connection with washing machine tubs of various form and construction.

A principal object is to provide an agitator in which the maximumcleansing effect is produced with a minimum of effort, and to thisend I have. constructed a device comprising a series of vanes pro ect1ng from a common center but arranged tangential to;

the axis of the agitator shaft, in contradistlnctlon to one in wh ch such vanes radiate from said axial line.

A further object is toprovidefor a circju lation of the washing medium through the agitator." i

. The construction shown and described is such that analternating centrifugal and centripetal action of the water is produced, which, together with the proper circulation thereof, will materially aid in the washing effect and reduce the effort necessary to produce agiven result. I

The invention is more fully described in ,trated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

, Eigure l is avertical, central sectional view of a tub with my improvedsagitator in position therein; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on theline 2 2 of Fig. 1.

The numeral 1 designates a washing machine tub'of ordinary construction, provided with a suitable cover 2;

The numeral 3 designates the agitator shaft which is mounted on the cover in a suitable support 4, and 5 designates an operating handle attached to the shaft and by means of which the agitator is operated.

To the lower end of the shaft 3 I attach my-agitator which comprises a cover or top piece 6'and a plurality of. vanes or blades 7.

' .The top piece is preferably secured to the Specification of Letters Patent.

larger spaces behind each blade will PatentedOct. 19, 1915.

upper edges of the blades and acts as a cover .or top of the spaces formed between the side walls 'of the blades, as shown in Fig. 2 in dotted lines- The blades of the agitator are arranged in a line tangent to the axial center line of the agitator shaft, and thus form, when four blades are used as in the present instance, a substantially rectangular opening in the center,'indicated by the numeral 8. The upwith the cleansingelement contained in the tub is agitated. WVhen the agitator is moved in'one direction, that indicated by the arrow in the drawing, the effect on the contents of the tub is to force said content-stoward the tub wall with a centrifugal action, due to the fact that the surfaces of the blades producing the'action extend to a point slightly beyond the axial center, While, when the direction .of the agitator is reversed, and thesmaller surfaces of the blades act directly on the contents,. the

duce a. suction which will tend to draw the contents towardthe center of the'tub, and

while both of these movements are being produced, the water will circulate freely up through the center 8 of the agitator and out through the perforations in the blades. .The perforations in the projecting portions of the blades will permit the free movement of the agitator and also aid in forcing the water through the clothing as the agitatormoves. It is evident therefore, that with the alternating centrifugal and centripetal.

action produced, the cleansing effect. produced with a given effort, approaches the maximum, as the clothing will not be permitted to mass or become tightly rolled, while the complete circulation of the water aids materially in producingthe cleansing Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1 An agitator for washing machines comprising four vertical blades joined at their inner extremities in a manner to form a rectangular space or opening, said inner ends being perforated whereby a circulation of liquid may be had through said rectangular opening.

'2. In a washing machine agitator, a centrally disposed shaft, a top piece to which the shaft is attached, and a plurality of blades secured to the under side of the top culation of liquid through said space.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature 20 in presenceof two witnesses.

JEREMIAH M. HOFFMAN.

Witnesses E1). A. KELLY MARY E. STAL'FFER. 

